Amick: There's simply no reason to believe in the Pacers anymore if they don't believe in themselves. Indiana center Roy Hibbert still comes and goes (and save for Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, he has mostly gone), and the collective cohesion and positivity that once defined this team has long since disappeared. Wizards in 6.

Zillgitt: Indiana hasn't played the kind of basketball that indicates it is a championship team often enough but this team might just be a survivor. Washington will be a popular pick to win this series, as they have promise not only for the future but for the now. Still, the Pacers wanted and earned home-court for a reason. Pacers in 7.

Spain: The Wizards didn't survive the first round against everyone's favorite to make the East finals, the Chicago Bulls, they dominated. The Pacers didn't dominate the worst team to make the playoffs, the Atlanta Hawks, they survived. Wizards in 6.

Joseph: There is a worry that the Wizards' size will play into the strengths of the Pacers. But John Wall and Bradley Beal are playing so much better than George Hill and Lance Stephenson right now. Wizards in 6.

Amick: The narrative is nice and all, this story about how Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were put on this basketball planet to torture LeBron James. Yet the oldies-but-goodies aren't as good as they were before, and now is the time for James & Co. to forge ahead with the ferocity that has been missing for so much of this season. Heat in 6.

Zillgitt: The Nets swept the Heat in the regular season, but Miami lost all three times to Chicago in 2010-11 and beat the Bulls in the 2011 playoffs, lost three of four to Boston in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 playoffs and beat the Celtics in the 2011 and 2012 playoffs. Heat in 5.

Spain: The Nets got what they wanted when they tanked on the final night of the regular season: a series against the Heat. Be careful what you wish for. Heat in 6.

Joseph: The Heat showed last season that they occasionally let themselves get pushed to the brink for no good reason. In this case, the Nets actually have a deeper team and can be phsical in confronting the Heat. Still, the champs prevail. Heat in 7.

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Coming up on the 20th anniversary of Pacers guard Reggie Miller choking the Knicks in the 1994 Eastern Conference finals, this seems like a good time to discuss the importance of great shooters in the playoffs. USA TODAY Sports' Adi Joseph ranks the 10 best in the second round. Paul Bereswill, AP file

10. Trevor Ariza, Washington Wizards: Ariza has taken a strange path to here, having the best season of his career on a team he's often seen as a secondary member of. But his shooting, along with his defense and toughness, has been an enormous part of Washington's success, and he shot a team best 40.7% on threes and went 13-for-28 in Round 1. Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

9. Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets: Often derided in the past for his overzealousness, the seven-time All-Star took smarter threes and developed a knack for hitting the biggest ones. He shot 40.1% from three this season, the second-best showing of his career. Anthony Gruppuso, USA TODAY Sports

7. Marco Belinelli, San Antonio Spurs: He has the best regular-season three-point percentage (.430) of anyone still alive and won the three-point contest at the All-Star break. So why so low? He's fallen in and out of favor with coach Gregg Popovich during a streaky second half. Derick Hingle, USA TODAY Sports

6. Wesley Matthews, Portland Trail Blazers: The stocky shooting guard went undrafted in 2009 but made the NBA because he can shoot and defend. He's taken that to the maximum in the past few years and took a career-high 511 threes last season, making 39.3%. Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

5. Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards: He came in hailed as the next Ray Allen, drafted third overall in 2012. He's delivered so far, hitting 40.2% of his threes while showing off an uncanny natural stroke, particularly when receiving passes from John Wall. Brad Mills Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

4. Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs: He can be a game-changer for the best team in the Western Conference, as he was throughout last season's playoffs. The former Development Leaguer has become a starter, making 41.5% of his threes this season, because of his shooting range and defensive ability. Soobum Im Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

3. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers: Did you see his shot against the Rockets? That's it right there. Lillard, who made 39.4% of his threes in the regular season, not only shoots remarkably well off the dribble and off the catch but also has a penchant for difficult crunch-time bombs. Craig Mitchelldyer, USA TODAY Sports

2. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder: The presumed NBA MVP also ranks among the league's best shooters. Durant made 39.1% of this threes this season but often took those heavily guarded. His ability to hit an open shot means the 25-year-old could be an effective player late in his 30s. Mark D. Smith, USA TODAY Sports

1. Ray Allen, Miami Heat: Think Game 6. His three-pointer in last year's Finals allowed the Heat to stave off elimination. He's the most prolific three-point shooter in NBA history, and even despite dipping to 37.5% on threes this year, his teammates always will trust him. Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

Amick: The Dallas Mavericks-Spurs seven-game series was a fun display of basketball skill, pride, and old-man game galore. But these Blazers are the sort of inexperienced bunch San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich likes to take advantage of, and Portland point guard Damian Lillard will be tested much more by Tony Parker than he was by the Houston Rockets' Patrick Beverley. Spurs in 6.

Zillgitt: Wouldn't it be fun to keep watching the Blazers win? Who doesn't want more LaMarcus Aldridge and Lillard? Besides Spurs fans that is. Well, the Spurs are the Spurs and the Blazers are a year away from making that leap to the conference finals. Spurs in 7.

Spain: To win an NBA title, a young team must pay its dues. Playing the Spurs in the conference semifinals constitutes dues-paying for the Blazers. Spurs in 5.

Joseph: The Spurs are much better defensively than the Blazers or the Rockets (Portland's first-round opponent). There's no doubt that Lillard and Aldridge will have a night or two of domination, but the Spurs force opponents to make mistakes. Spurs in 6.

Amick: Don't overlook one major factor in the Thunder's first-round struggles: few defenses make life tough on scorers like the Memphis Grizzlies. The Clippers' defense isn't on the same level, and Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook & Co. should squeeze out another series win here against Doc Rivers' emotionally-spent squad. Thunder in 7.

Zillgitt: Don't get too caught up in this being the Clippers' time just because of the Donald Sterling incident. No, believe the Clippers can win this because they are more talented, deeper and more versatile than the Thunder. Clippers in 6.

Spain: The Thunder looked good in Games 6 and 7 to wrap up their series vs. Memphis, but overall they were exposed as a two-man team on offense. The Clippers appear to be stronger after the first-round emotional win. Clippers in 7.

Joseph: Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan will force the Thunder to play big inside, which doesn't suit their preferred wide-open offensive style. The big test here will be on rookie center Steven Adams against two of the most explosive post players around. Clippers in 7.

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During the 2013 NBA playoffs, Spurs guard Danny Green introduced himself to the world. Who might do the same this year? USA TODAY Sports' Adi Joseph takes a crack at picking breakout stars for every playoff team. Brendan Maloney, USA TODAY Sports

Pacers shooting guard Lance Stephenson blossomed during last season's playoffs. But now he is fighting for a paycheck, as he becomes a free agent after the season, so expect an even bigger showing this spring. David Richard, USA TODAY Sports

Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade already has a full Hall of Fame résumé, with three rings and a scoring title to his credit. But he could reassert himself as a present-day star after getting a lot of rest during the regular season. Russell Isabella, USA TODAY Sports

Raptors power forward Amir Johnson long has been an unheralded role player but could make his name in the playoffs because of his leadership role on Toronto's top-10 defense. Tom Szczerbowski, USA TODAY Sports

Bulls power forward Taj Gibson deserves a look for sixth man of the year but probably won't get his due credit because his stats aren't gaudy enough. Still, he's one of the best defensive big men in the NBA and should play more late-game minutes than Carlos Boozer. Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports

Nets center Mason Plumlee may be the most efficient player in this rookie class, but he spent much of his season laboring on the bench. In the month leading up to the playoffs, he averaged 10.4 points a game, shot 72.7% from the field and established himself as a viable option if Kevin Garnett can't go. Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports

Wizards power forward Trevor Booker has been told to be more assertive all season, and he finally is taking that in stride. His role decreased with the return of Nene, but he is the hardest worker on the team and plays with reckless abandon. Brad Mills, USA TODAY Sports

Bobcats guard Gary Neal is the most playoff-tested player on the team, having been a big part of last year's Finals run for the Spurs. He has found his stroke since joining Charlotte in February and should take on a leadership role for the first time in his career. Joshua S. Kelly, USA TODAY Sports

Hawks power forward Mike Scott spent five seasons at the University of Virginia, so late-bloomer fits him. But he has emerged in his second NBA season as an efficient post scorer for a team that needs the help inside. Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports

Spurs point guard Patty Mills mostly has stayed in Tony Parker's shadow, but in the second half he may have outplayed his often-aching counterpart. Mills' explosive scoring ability can ignite the Spurs' second unit, the best in the NBA. Craig Mitchelldyer, USA TODAY Sports

Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook needs to put the critics to rest. He already is in the conversation for the best point guard in the NBA when healthy, but naysayers suggest he holds Kevin Durant back. A championship-level performance could end that talk once and for all. Mark D. Smith, USA TODAY Sports

Clippers shooting guard J.J. Redick still is Duke star J.J. Redick to many basketball fans, but his shooting could push the Clippers to the championship this spring. The better he plays, the better the team performs, and he is rounding back into form after missing most of the second half. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports

Rockets power forward Terrence Jones has become the ideal companion to Dwight Howard down low, a perfect fit because he can rebound and play in the paint but also has the versatility to give Howard space. But he only is beginning to tap his vast potential now. Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports

Trail Blazers power forward Thomas Robinson has played for three teams in two seasons since being drafted fifth overall in 2012, but he finally is developing a role behind (and filling in for) LaMarcus Aldridge. Cary Edmondson, USA TODAY Sports

Warriors forward Draymond Green is one of the most colorful and excitable players in the NBA, but with Andrew Bogut's injury, he will be counted on even more to produce. His rebounding and playmaking at either forward spot make him a unique force. Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

Mavericks power forward Brandan Wright has taken efficiency to a new level in making 67.2% of his shots and rarely touching the ball in other instances. His springy athleticism has returned after a glut of injuries, and he is a key piece next to and in backing up Dirk Nowitzki. Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

Grizzlies small forward Mike Miller won two titles with the Heat while struggling with all sorts of injuries. He's been the most healthy player on the Grizzlies this season, though, and is shooting as well as ever. This would be a chance to put a stamp on his career. Justin Ford, USA TODAY Sports